Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Do You Believe in Miracles? Emirates Showers, Dreamliner Suites, Tahiti Triumph!

thepointsoflife

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January 13, 2016

Do You Believe in Miracles? Emirates Showers, Dreamliner Suites, Tahiti Triumph!

If you are not impressed by this award booking than you must be flying private jets. Not only are the flights absurd but the destinations covered are once in a lifetime for the second, third, and fourth time. Please allow me to explain how my Tahiti Triumph all went down.

Miracle #1: InterContinental : Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa ; Overwater Villa; 2 Nights; 100k ; $0

This all started when I tried to find hotel availability in Tahiti using 100k IHG points, 80 of which came from signing up for the Chase IHG card. I ended up booking 2 nights using what I called the IHG Reward Bora Bora Trick.

Miracle #2: Round trip to Tahiti from Shanghai with a stopover in New Zealand for 60,000 United Miles + $100

From there I was dead set on finding a flight from Shanghai to Tahiti for two reasons: 1) It was aboard Air New Zealand’s in business on a Dreamliner. 2) It was 60,000 miles round trip with a stopover in New Zealand. Not only will this be my second time there since my $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, but also it is an incomparable bargain for only 60k United Miles.

Miracle #3: Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa; 5 Nights; 280k; $0

Though sleeping outside would’ve been comfortable in Moorea, I wanted to burn some HHonor points and got a ridiculous deal at the Hilton Moorea.

Miracle #4: InterContinental : Le Moana Bora Bora: Double Beach Bungalow; 1 Night; Stay Certificate; $0

I received my anniversary IHG certificate from Chase and found the perfect way to use it.

Miracle #5: Emirates Shower Class: New York to Dubai to Shanghai: 100k Alaska Miles + $19

I needed to get to Shanghai so I luckily found availability on Emirates A380 Shower Class using the 100k points that I had earned from my Alaska Airlines credit cards. The taxes were an acceptable $19. This is the second and third time (JFK-DXB & DXB-PVG) I’ll enjoy a shower in the sky and another opportunity to visit two of my favorite cities in the world, Shanghai and Dubai.

Miracle #6: JAL Dreamliner Business from Shanghai to Tokyo to DFW to New York: 55,000 AAdvantage + $50

So originally, I was going to fly Apartment Class from Abu Dhabi to JFK but that was 120k points which wasn’t worth it in comparison to a flight from Asia to the US which is either 67,500 in first or 55k in business. With the American devaluation on the horizon, I was hoping to try a new product but nothing was coming up. Despondent, I thought I would settle for another first class flight on Cathay from Hong Kong, an excellent alternative but something that I had already flown.

Creativity came to me at 3AM as I started searching for my old friend, Japan Airlines which I had flown so long ago when the Dreamliner didn’t have lie-flat seating. Deep in the night, I found availability from Shanghai to Narita then to the US searching on British Air.

I pieced it together one by one: Japan to the US (checking Narita or Haneda to Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Dallas, and even Vancouver). NRT to DFW provided the longest flight on the Dreamliner so I noted the date and flight number. From there I added the segment of PVG to NRT and DFW-NYC. By doing it this way, I got one night in Tokyo to run around and gorge on food at the Tsukuji Fish Market, a must visit as part of the Tokyo Travel Guide.

I called the AAdvantage desk in Australia out of habit and confirmed the booking. All of this came out to 55,000 miles, a steal compared to the 70,ooo it will be post March 22nd.

Recap

On this trip I will be going back to Dubai, back to Shanghai, then to Tahiti, then New Zealand for the second time, back back to Shanghai, then to Tokyo again, before dreaming my way to the US for next to nothing ($169 including hotels). To put it in pictures, here’s what I am doing:

And that’s only the flight picture preview. I haven’t booked hotels in Dubai, Shanghai, and New Zealand let alone offered my own pics of Tahiti paradise.

Do you believe in miracles? Yes!

The Club at ATL: Pop Champagne

thepointsoflife

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January 12, 2016

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The Club at ATL Lounge Review is part of the Trip Report: Citrus Bowl 2016 which covers the following cities:

Orlando, Florida
Miami, Florida

Read the Overview here: Points Make It Possible and the Golf Preview here: This Round’s on Trump.

I headed all the way to the international terminal to visit the Club at ATL since I was flying SWA to Orlando and didn’t want to make use of the Southwest Lounge. The trip took about 15 minutes via train but was well worth it for the one hour that I spent there. The one drawback of the lounge was the lack of food. There was popcorn and chips and some decent hummus. The sparkling wine to ring in the new year was some of the best I have had.

2015-12-31 12.35.14 — Reflecting on the Club at ATL

2015-12-31 12.37.21 — Seating area, no snacks

2015-12-31 12.40.30 — Nobody wants it anyway

2015-12-31 12.42.59 — Tradition + popcorn

the club at atl lounge review — Good stuff

<==Back to Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City – Onto Aloft Orlando==>

Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City: Unlimited Egg Whites

thepointsoflife

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January 12, 2016

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Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City: Unlimited Egg Whites

The Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City Lounge Review is part of the Trip Report: Citrus Bowl 2016 which covers the following cities:

Orlando, Florida
Miami, Florida

Read the Overview here: Points Make It Possible and the Golf Preview here: This Round’s on Trump. I’m including the Delta Sky Club Salt Lake City as part of the Citrus Bowl Trip Report even though it was part of my move to New York in 2015.

My favorite Delta Sky Club is in Atlanta. My second favorite is the one in Salt Lake City. Unlike the self-serve style of the one in Detroit or the one I went to in Minneapolis, the Sky Club in SLC is worth the [free] cost of admission courtesy of the Amex Platinum card.

I was there early in the morning in time for breakfast which included all you can eat hard-boiled eggs, perhaps the greatest food next to pho. Besides some yummy cookies, the lounge features a bar where I enjoyed my traveling morning ritual power snack of a beer and Bloody Mary. The best part was the private chair that shields passengers from the bright lights of the lounge and is the perfect spot to take a quick nap before a flight.

2015-12-09 07.52.32 — Merry Christmas from Delta Sky Club

2015-12-09 07.58.04 — Cucumber infused hipster water

2015-12-09 07.58.11 — No traditional Coors Light

2015-12-09 07.59.15 — Broncos Blood Mary

2015-12-09 08.15.56 — A great lounge experience

Onto The Club @ ATL==>

Trip Report: Citrus Bowl NYE

thepointsoflife

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January 12, 2016

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The following is the Preview of the Trip Report: Citrus Bowl 2016 which covers the following cities:

Orlando, Florida
Miami, Florida

Read the Overview here: Points Make It Possible and the Golf Preview here: This Round’s on Trump. During this trip I got to check out downtown Orlando for NYE, eat tons of nachos and chicken wings, see Michigan destroy Florida in the Citrus Bowl, and play two rounds of golf thanks to Citi Prestige.

As usual, here is the picture preview:

2016-01-01 13.06.36 — Citrus Bowl Stadium Orlando

2016-01-02 12.19.04 — Ritz-Carlton Orlando

2016-01-05 12.00.27 — Trump National Miami

Places NOT to Visit 2016

thepointsoflife

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January 11, 2016

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Every year the NYT puts out their 52 Places to Go. The last two years, TPOL has been ahead of the curve going to their top suggestions including Mexico City and Cape Town before the tourists get there and ruin the party. In the spirit of being hopeful in 2016, I thought I’d provide a list of 7 places you shouldn’t visit this year.

7. Bocas del Toro, Panama

It’s a surfer’s paradise with beautiful beaches. So why shouldn’t you visit Bocas? Because there are only a few ways to get to Bocas from Panama City. The first is the recommended approach, a quick flight which is seldom available during peak season. The other is a hell bus that takes 10 hours and will leave you sore, angry, and disappointed if you arrive only to find days of rain.

6. Macau

Looking for a Vegas party? Do not go to Macau if this is the case. The SAR of China has the world’s biggest casino where Chinese millionaires drop tens of thousands of dollars without showing any emotion. The casinos are eerily quiet and the nightlife consists of brothels posing as night clubs.

5. Phuket, Thailand

Perhaps one of the most disgusting places on earth is Phuket. Here, like Bangkok, you will find a town riddled with LBHs (losers back home) who make the journey to Asia to pay a young girl for her company during their stay. TPOL is a staunch advocate against sex tourism.

SANYO DIGITAL CAMERA — Classic LBH behavior

4. Maldives

Are you looking for overpriced burgers, lousy service, and to pay $500 for a seaplane? Head to the Maldives were your bungalow room will be the only refuge from the hungry wolves looking to take you for every penny.

World's worst burger — World’s worst burger

3. Lake Angelus, Michigan

Perhaps you don’t like your job. Perhaps you are looking to make a change. One place you should not consider regardless of the salary is Lake Angelus, Michigan which is notorious for sucking in employees with a decent starting salary only to have them continue to work there years later with no significant raise. The powerful force of Lake Angelus is too much to even combat TPOL’s top-rated book for getting out of the cubicle.

Enjoy Oscar's: The cubicle-ists favorite bar and grill — Enjoy Oscar’s: The cubicle-ists favorite bar and grill

2. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Perhaps you think the luxuries of the US are boring. Perhaps you are looking to work in an emerging market. Do not be fooled by thinking that Mongolia is that place especially if you join the wrong firm. Mongolia may be a great place to visit but it is not a great place to work.

Phone a friend — You’ll need to phone a friend to get out of one of the worst decisions of your life

1. Luxor, Egypt

Do you like being ripped off? Do you like being called a bad tourist? Head to Luxor where price gouging is the norm.

By Definition, Bloggers Killed Manufactured Spend

thepointsoflife

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January 9, 2016

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By Definition, Bloggers Killed Manufactured Spend

Every year the Merriam-Webster dictionary adds new words that have become part of the English lexicon. Examples include ‘selfie’ and ‘dab’. When Amex Served notice of my account being closed, I noticed that they used the term ‘manufacture activity’ in the reason for account closure. The old Terms & Conditions made no mention of ‘manufacture’ before. This addition is clearly a result of the blog community cleverly inventing the term for how one can spend without spending.

On the one hand we should be proud that our collective voices have been heard. On the other hand the credit card companies are listening to us more than ever which spells trouble for our points churning lifestyle. I wouldn’t liken the elimination of Serve & Bluebird to past deals that have been killed by overzealous bloggers. The practice of manufactured spending became so commonplace that I even stopped calling it by the sly code word ‘ms’. It had been going on from so long that many of us transitioned from Vanilla Reloads on Bluebird, to Target, to Serve. Those products have been around for more than two years making the sudden shut down of my account that much more surprising.

The one positive, if you can call it that, is knowing that ms is not fraud. That argument delivered by those outside the points community can finally be put to rest as the T & C’s clearly say that an account can be closed for fraud or manufactured activity, a clear distinction between one over the other. Having said that, by closing our accounts, Amex has essentially grouped those in manufacturing with those that try to launder money via gift cards, an unfair pairing to say the least.

We’ve suffered a lot to keep up our manufactured first class lifestyle from going under. Last year, I posed the question: Where Have All the MS Gone? somewhat in jest. Now I really want to know when those jobs are coming back, if they ever are.

You’ve Been Served: Amex Closes Mine Too

thepointsoflife

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January 8, 2016

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Happy 2016! Amex closed my Serve card for ‘unusual usage’. Maybe they closed everyone’s account when they cross referenced who reads or writes for BoardingArea but this is very annoying, bad news. The weird point is that there is no number to call to restore the account. There’s only an option to write a letter. It’s odd that this happened now since I’m done with MS anyway.

Can We Get a New Top 10 Best Credit Card List?

Points

thepointsoflife

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January 7, 2016

1

Prepare the royal baggage, TPOL is headed back to New York. After some great golf and little sun, I’m headed back to NYC to face 2016.

I just outlined my travel schedule for 2016 and in the coming days I’m going to try and figure out my churn schedule for Q1. I’ve stopped looking at the ‘top 10’ lists of credit card pushers because I never see anything new.

I get that the best card is the Sapphire and the INK but avid points travelers have all applied for those and have blacklisted from applying for them for the Nth time. From Citi the cards on the list are the same: Prestige and perhaps AA before it’s ‘too late’. SPG Amex is probably on the list and maybe the Barclays Arrival card. Perhaps there’s a targeted 100k offer out there for the Amex Platinum. Most of us have these cards and many of us aren’t eligible for applying again.

With limited options and a manufactured spending game that is growing increasingly difficult, the traditional 90 day churn cycle is no longer feasible. I’m looking at other banks and other ways to keep this pointsoflife game going. Last year I did Wells Fargo. This month I’m finishing up my Citi Gold Checking Account application. Other than applying for Virgins in bulk or the largest state in the same manner, I’m going to have to be creative. The alternative is to spend my time reading the same posts about how to qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.

a screenshot of a cell phone

The Extinct Blackberry App for WordPress

The Deal Ticker

thepointsoflife

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January 6, 2016

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The dinosaur is extinct and so is Blackberry. This doesn’t keep me from having one. Most recently BlackBerry updates its iOS and messed up my ability to post via my phone. Now I am testing this new app to see if I can continue writing magic via this archaic device.

I don’t see a spot for featured image which is annoying. Here goes nothing. And publish.

Another Reason I Love Southwest Airlines

thepointsoflife

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January 5, 2016

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TPOL is in Miami right now shirking his New Year’s resolution to stop traveling. I was supposed to go back to the City tomorrow but a quick check of the weather provided a strong disincentive to do so.

Before I came to Florida, I booked multiple flights on Southwest using points which can be cancelled at any time with no penalty. Judging by the weather in NY, I’d say that speculatively booking the additional flights was the right move. Those of us with no airline status don’t have this luxury when booking on other airlines. This benefit is something that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when the cold, dull days of winter in New York are upon us.

Another added perk of flying Southwest is the ability to check in my golf clubs for free. Since the New Year is here and I have 3 more free rounds of Citi Prestige golf, I may never go back.